"Heh, your leader sure is a generous man, isn't he? He keeps all the good things for himself and leaves the scraps for the young ones like you," Sun Youqing sneered, his laughter echoing through the tense air.
At this point, several men stepped forward, hurling curses at Xie Yuhong and demanding to join other groups. Naturally, the three factions were eager to recruit these younger males. However, a few men refused to abandon their integrity, standing firm against the pressure. Feng Jin showed no mercy: "Kill them."
"Husband!" one woman screamed, rushing toward her spouse, only to be yanked back by a subordinate.
"You monsters! May you rot in hell!" the woman shrieked, her voice trembling with fury.
But the leaders paid no heed. In moments, those who resisted were brutally slaughtered before the others' eyes. Turning to the group of over twenty women in their thirties, Sun Jin smirked. "What are you waiting for? Divide them up."
"For fairness, we'll take turns picking."
"I'm the eldest here, so it's only right that I go first," Feng Jin declared smugly, already eyeing one of the younger women—the very one whose husband had just been killed. The other two leaders exchanged disapproving glances but said nothing.
Meanwhile, deep in the basement, Ye Qingyi crouched in the shadows, hugging her knees tightly as her body trembled uncontrollably, as if gripped by an icy chill. She had managed to slip away during the chaos, following Xie Yuhong's earlier instructions to hide.
Suddenly, a beam of light pierced the darkness—it was from a phone. "Boss, there's a woman hiding here!" one of the subordinates exclaimed eagerly.
Ye Qingyi bolted, desperate to escape, but she was no match for the young man chasing her. He grabbed her long hair, yanking her back with brutal force. "Filthy wench, where do you think you're running to?" he snarled.
Pain shot through Ye Qingyi's scalp as she cried out, her screams muffled by the sound of her own despair. Dragged across the floor, she was eventually tossed into the center of the parking lot. "Boss, this one's clever—she knows how to hide," the subordinate boasted, clearly expecting praise.
Her disheveled appearance initially failed to capture the attention of the three leaders. But when another subordinate knelt down, brushing aside her tangled hair and lifting her chin, his face froze in shock. Stammering, he blurted out, "B-boss… s-she's exquisite…"
Sun Youqing, irritated by the man's foolishness, kicked him to the ground. "Exquisite? Get a grip, will you?" Yet as he glanced at the woman himself, even he couldn't help but pause.
Ding Feng stepped closer for a better look, and understanding dawned on his face. She truly was breathtaking—a rare gem hidden within this decrepit neighborhood. Despite days of hiding, her delicate features remained flawless; only her dress bore traces of dirt from being dragged.
"Let me go!" Ye Qingyi spat, shoving the subordinate's filthy hand away. Her wide eyes darted around, taking in the circle of predators surrounding her, as if realizing the nightmare unfolding before her.
Feng Jin laughed cruelly. "Feisty little thing, aren't you? I wonder what it'd be like to break that spirit of yours." His words sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd. Even without makeup, her beauty was undeniable—a natural allure that left everyone breathless. Imagine what she'd look like fully adorned. This was a prize worth fighting for.
Sun Youqing tossed a pack of cigarettes to the subordinate. "Here's your reward." Clutching the pack of Furongwang, the man beamed with gratitude. In times like these, even a single cigarette could buy someone's loyalty. "Thank you, Boss," he stammered.
"Boss Feng, Boss Ding, this woman was found by my subordinate. Surely you won't try to claim her, will you?" Sun Youqing's tone carried a thinly veiled threat.
Feng Jin chuckled. "We agreed earlier that everything in Building One belongs to all of us equally."
Ding Feng quickly chimed in, siding with Feng Jin. "That's correct. Surely Boss Sun wouldn't dare violate our agreement?"
Sun Youqing took a long drag from his cigarette, his venomous gaze cutting through the haze of smoke. Then, forcing a laugh, he said, "Just a joke. No need to get so worked up."
Though his words sounded lighthearted, his mind seethed with murderous intent. Beauty, indeed, proved to be a curse—one capable of unraveling fragile alliances.
As Sun Youqing laughed, Feng Jin and Ding Feng joined in. But had Sun Youqing refused, there was no doubt blood would have been spilled.
"There's only one of her," Sun Youqing suggested with a sly grin. "How about we take turns?"
Such a treasure, though, was not something anyone wanted to share. Each man coveted her for himself.
Seated on the cold ground, Ye Qingyi listened to their conversation, her face pale as ash. She felt like livestock being divided among masters. Spotting a nearby load-bearing wall, she suddenly sprang to her feet and made a dash for it.
But Feng Jin, swift as a hawk, caught her by her hair. "Thinking of dying? Not so easy," he growled.
Ye Qingyi collapsed, tears streaming down her face as she flailed and cursed. "You bastards! May you burn in hell!"
"Tie her up!" Ding Feng barked.
The subordinates quickly bound Ye Qingyi with ropes, her tears carving paths down her porcelain cheeks. After days of hiding, she had finally fallen into their grasp.
"She's such a rare find. Why don't we auction her off instead of taking turns?" Feng Jin proposed.
"Agreed. Let's auction her," Sun Youqing nodded, and Ding Feng voiced no objection.
But Feng Jin's lips curled into a sinister grin. "If we're auctioning her, we need to inspect the goods properly, don't we?"
The implication hung heavy in the air.
"What are you doing? Stay away from me!" Ye Qingyi screamed as two subordinates approached her. But her cries only fueled their depraved excitement.
The three leaders stared at her hungrily. Her figure was flawless—lean yet toned, exuding both strength and grace. She rivaled any Hollywood starlet.
"Tie her to the roof of the car," someone ordered.
Helpless and sobbing, Ye Qingyi was forcibly strapped to the car's roof, posed in a humiliating position for all to see. Her body, now reduced to a commodity, was displayed under the harsh glare of headlights.
Feng Jin turned to the crowd gathered near Building One. "Does anyone recognize her?"
A woman piped up immediately. "She's Xie Yuhong's sister-in-law."
Feng Jin burst into laughter. "Well, well. Who would've thought Xie Lao was hoarding such a treasure? That saintly bastard must've saved her for us."
The men roared with laughter. On the roof, Ye Qingyi lay still, her tears seemingly dried up. Trembling violently, she listened to the jeers and taunts swirling around her.
"She graduated from a top-tier university and was set to marry the son of a Fortune 500 CEO," another woman revealed.
Sun Youqing grinned maliciously. "With such high education, she probably wouldn't have given us the time of day in the past."
"Exactly. Now she's the one begging for scraps," Feng Jin cackled.
Sun Youqing cleared his throat. "Enough chatter. Let's start the auction."
His eagerness was palpable.